January 24, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document summarizes the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) rules agreed to by DOD, GSA, and NASA in this Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-49. A companion document, the Small Entity Compliance Guide (SECG), follows this FAC. The FAC, including the SECG, is available via the Internet at https://www.regulations.gov.

This document is issued under the joint authority of DOD, GSA, and NASA. This Small Entity Compliance Guide has been prepared in accordance with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996. It consists of a summary of rules appearing in Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-49, which amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). Interested parties may obtain further information regarding these rules by referring to FAC 2005-49, which precedes this document. The documents are also available via the Internet at https://www.regulations.gov.

Pursuant to the authority vested in the Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement by the joint bidding provisions of 30 CFR 256.41, each entity within one of the following groups shall be restricted from bidding with any entity in any other of the following groups at Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas lease sales to be held during the bidding period November 1, 2010, through April 30, 2011. The List of Restricted Joint Bidders published in the Federal Register on May 3, 2010, covered the period May 1, 2010, through October 31, 2010.

On July 19, 2010, President Obama signed Executive Order 13547 establishing a National Policy for the Stewardship of the Ocean, our Coasts, and the Great Lakes (``National Policy''). That Executive Order adopts the Final Recommendations of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force (``Final Recommendations'') and directs Federal agencies to take the appropriate steps to implement them. The Executive Order creates an interagency National Ocean Council (NOC) to strengthen ocean governance and coordination, identifies nine priority actions for the NOC to pursue, and adopts a flexible framework for effective coastal and marine spatial planning to address conservation, economic activity, user conflict, and sustainable use of the ocean, our coasts and the Great Lakes. Purpose: The NOC is announcing its intent to prepare strategic action plans for the nine priority objectives identified in the Final Recommendations and is requesting input on the development of these strategic action plans. (For general information about the NOC and a copy of Executive Order 13547 and the Final Recommendations, please see: https://www.WhiteHouse.gov/oceans). Public comments will inform the preparation of the strategic action plans. All comments will be collated and posted on the NOC Web site. Public Comment: The NOC is seeking public input as it develops the strategic action plans for the priority objectives. To be considered during the development of the draft strategic action plans, comments should be submitted by April 29, 2011. Draft strategic action plans will be released for public review in the summer of 2011, allowing additional opportunity for the public to provide comments. Plans are expected to be completed by the end of 2011. In this public comment period, the NOC is interested in comments that address the opportunities, obstacles, and metrics of progress relevant to each of the priority objectives. Comments should take into account that the strategic action plans should address the key areas identified in the Final Recommendations, including, as appropriate, the importance of integrating local, regional, and national efforts. The NOC is requesting responses to the following questions for each of the priority objectives: What near-term, mid-term, and long-term actions would most effectively help the Nation achieve this policy objective? What are some of the major obstacles to achieving this objective; are there opportunities this objective can further, including transformative changes in how we address the stewardship of the oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes? What milestones and performance measures would be most useful for measuring progress toward achieving this priority objective? Comments should be submitted electronically at https:// www.WhiteHouse.gov/administration/eop/oceans/comment or can be sent by mail to: National Ocean Council, 722 Jackson Place, NW., Washington, DC 20503.

The Nicolet Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Crandon, Wisconsin. The committee is meeting as authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (Pub. L. 110-343) and in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose is to hold a meeting to review submitted project proposals. The general public is invited to attend this meeting.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of our final comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for the environmental assessment for Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). In the final CCP, we describe how we will manage this refuge for the next 15 years.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is conducting a public review of the draft, Current Intelligence Bulletin (CIB): Derivation of Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) Values. NIOSH is requesting technical review of the draft CIB. The draft document and instructions for submitting comments can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docket/review/docket156/default.html . Public Comment Period: Comments must be received by March 15, 2011. A public meeting to be convened either in Cincinnati, Ohio or via Teleweb may be scheduled at a date and time to be announced later if determined to be necessary. This public meeting will be announced via a subsequent notice.

This notice announces that the Products and Services Code (PSC) Manual, which provides codes to describe products, services, and research and development purchased by the government, is in the process of being updated; GSA, which maintains the PSC Manual, is in the process of updating the manual.

We are amending the regulations concerning the importation of animals and animal products to prohibit or restrict the importation of bird and poultry products from regions where any subtype of highly pathogenic avian influenza is considered to exist. We are also adding restrictions concerning importation of live poultry and birds that have been vaccinated for certain types of avian influenza, or that have moved through regions where any subtype of highly pathogenic avian influenza is considered to exist. These restrictions supplement or replace existing restrictions on the importation of live birds and poultry, and bird and poultry products and byproducts from regions where exotic Newcastle disease or highly pathogenic avian influenza subtype H5N1 are considered to exist. They are necessary to prevent the introduction of highly pathogenic avian influenza into the United States.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability for public comment of a document for The National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) entitled ``NARMS Strategic Plan 2011-2015.'' The document outlines the strategic goals and objectives for 2011 through 2015 of the NARMS program developed by the participating Agencies (FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)) based on recommendations of an External Subcommittee of the Science Board to FDA. The Agency is soliciting public comment on the goals and objectives in the Strategic Plan and whether the goals and objectives meet the recommendations of the subcommittee.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing that a proposed collection of information has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed new collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments information needed to determine beneficiary satisfaction with benefit application and servicing processes for the VBA Compensation and Pension (C&P) Service, Education (EDU) Service, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Service and Loan Guaranty (LGY) Service.

This notice is provided in accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality's regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508) and the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) procedures for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). TVA will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) or an environmental impact statement (EIS) to address the potential environmental effects of proposed electrical power supply improvements in the Putnam and Cumberland region of east-central Tennessee. The purpose of the proposed project is to ensure the reliable transmission of electric power to meet increasing power demands in the project area. In its environmental review, TVA will evaluate the potential environmental impacts of the construction, operation, and maintenance of proposed new and upgraded power transmission facilities. TVA will develop and evaluate various alternatives, including the No Action Alternative, in the environmental review. Public comments are invited concerning both the scope of the review and environmental issues that should be addressed.